what sounds and colors can be heard in "dance of the reed pipes" by tchaikovsky

I don't have the score in front of me so I will refer to
points in the song by approx time.

"Colour" in music is a
difficult way to describe works. In a way a composer from the romantic era paints an
idea using notes. In this way Tchaicovsky uses the high woodwind and strings to paint a
picture using sound. As for what colours, well the term colour in music is a synonym for
timbre (other spellings - tambre or timber) which is the quality of the
sound.

So if you want to know the quality of the sound (and
I don't mean good or bad), the answer is to listen and identify how the composer is
orchestrating his work.  For example, in this, the high woodwind give a bright colour to
the music, while the short articulation and rhythm give a light, bouncey feel to the
piece. This is supported by the lack of long bass notes that would counter the effect of
the high and short woodwind and strings.

The piece starts
graceful and light, and Tchaikovsky's instrumentation is how he achieves this. The
flutes and violins make use of short detatched notes in the upper register to avoid any
broad sounds though this technique is more noticable in the lower strings that use
detached notes to avoid the depth and warmth that comes with long notes on the cellos
and double basses.

About 1:30 in, the mood changes and the
higher brass (previously absent) bring a warmth, supported by the longer notes in
ostinato in the deeper brass. This is supported by a simutanious change to a minor key
and together for the next 30 sec or so provides a darker and deeper contrast to the
previous motif.

At around 2:00 (will change based on
which recording you listen to), the piece returns to the light and graceful origins with
a slight flamboyant flair at the end with the use of the timpani and a short cymbal
"splash".

I hope this gives you some help for your
assignment/paper.